I often see the narrative of “we have some of the highest taxes in Europe and get nothing” etc. here and elsewhere, which I do fond a bot baffling. People always just use other Anglophone countries as a measuring stick (on this and everything) and they tend to be some of the most low-tax developed countries around. In Europe, only Iceland, Switzerland and the UK have lower income taxes on an average earner. Even the highest combined marginal rate of tax in Ireland is not quite as high as the effective tax on an average Belgian workers full income.
Now, the additional info:
– this is for an average worker. Ireland has very low income taxes for low and average-earners. The tax burden increases significantly for high earners, as our high tax-free allowances really dull tax at the lower end. But if you’re professing to be an “average” earner, your income tax is low.
– this is just income tax. There are obviously many other forms of taxes. VAT is pretty similar across the EU, and Ireland has a reasonable number of reduced-VAT goods. Ireland has very high excise on alcohol and cigarettes, and pretty average carbon taxes for a western European country (even a bit low maybe). We have very low property taxes compared to a lot of countries, and also low stamp duty on buying a property. Our general cost of living is obviously quite high, even by European standards.
Ferrari?
We’re not too bad either.
Don’t post this! You’ll upset the tankies that think they’re labouring in a capitalist concentration camp and they get angry with annoying facts.
It is fair to say we get what we pay for , we don’t pay that much and all our services are old and shit.
Thanks for that map, might just book meself a oneway to switzerland instead of feeding the council estate breeding grounds and the rest of this shitshow…
I think it should be mandatory for people to mention how much tax they pay each year before stating it’s too low, not specifically for OP but in general.
My total tax paid in recent 5 years (excluding 2022 obv) is equal to my 1 year gross salary. Which is a lot.
In return I got: umm I had to go A&E twice.
What I would like to get with my taxes: proper public transport, proper health system and a freaking metro between Dublin city centre and the airport.
Before saying “taxes are low” imagine this: Your employer gives you €1000 bonus for your efforts. €520 of this goes to the taxes, and you take €480 home,
How on fucking earth this is low taxes?
Well of course you could earn below 33600 and pay 20% or earn 12000 gross per year and pay no tax at all.
7 comments
I often see the narrative of “we have some of the highest taxes in Europe and get nothing” etc. here and elsewhere, which I do fond a bot baffling. People always just use other Anglophone countries as a measuring stick (on this and everything) and they tend to be some of the most low-tax developed countries around. In Europe, only Iceland, Switzerland and the UK have lower income taxes on an average earner. Even the highest combined marginal rate of tax in Ireland is not quite as high as the effective tax on an average Belgian workers full income.
Now, the additional info:
– this is for an average worker. Ireland has very low income taxes for low and average-earners. The tax burden increases significantly for high earners, as our high tax-free allowances really dull tax at the lower end. But if you’re professing to be an “average” earner, your income tax is low.
– this is just income tax. There are obviously many other forms of taxes. VAT is pretty similar across the EU, and Ireland has a reasonable number of reduced-VAT goods. Ireland has very high excise on alcohol and cigarettes, and pretty average carbon taxes for a western European country (even a bit low maybe). We have very low property taxes compared to a lot of countries, and also low stamp duty on buying a property. Our general cost of living is obviously quite high, even by European standards.
Ferrari?
We’re not too bad either.
Don’t post this! You’ll upset the tankies that think they’re labouring in a capitalist concentration camp and they get angry with annoying facts.
It is fair to say we get what we pay for , we don’t pay that much and all our services are old and shit.
Thanks for that map, might just book meself a oneway to switzerland instead of feeding the council estate breeding grounds and the rest of this shitshow…
I think it should be mandatory for people to mention how much tax they pay each year before stating it’s too low, not specifically for OP but in general.
My total tax paid in recent 5 years (excluding 2022 obv) is equal to my 1 year gross salary. Which is a lot.
In return I got: umm I had to go A&E twice.
What I would like to get with my taxes: proper public transport, proper health system and a freaking metro between Dublin city centre and the airport.
Before saying “taxes are low” imagine this: Your employer gives you €1000 bonus for your efforts. €520 of this goes to the taxes, and you take €480 home,
How on fucking earth this is low taxes?
Well of course you could earn below 33600 and pay 20% or earn 12000 gross per year and pay no tax at all.
Fucking joke